Hocus Pocus

Easy steps to creepy costumes

ChickenThere’s nothing wrong with being a little, er, chicken, during Halloween. Smaller kids will love dressing up as this adorable clucker.

How to do it: Cut a red glove about an inch from the fingers, stuff it with tissues and stitch it to the crown of an oversized hooded top. Stuff the hood with a cushion and tack-stitch yellow feather boas all over the top (stitches can later be removed). You’ll need about five boas for a costume that will fit a 5-year-old. Put on a pair of tights and then carefully slip on the top, stuffing it with cushions or towels to fatten it up. Stuff the ends of a pair of yellow gloves with tissues and then slip the gloves onto your feet. Cluck!

Half-AsleepToo tired to trick-or-treat? Then just take half a nap!

How to do it: Cut a pair of old pajamas down the middle, then loosely tack-stitch one half over a regular outfit. For the asleep side, girls can put rollers in their hair, wear one slipper and carry a pillow or teddy bear. You could even close one eye. On the awake side, style hair neatly, put on makeup and carry a handbag.

If you’re a boy, slick your hair back, wear a shirt with one of Dad’s old ties cut in half, and carry a briefcase. For the sleeping side, just muss up your hair.

MummyFresh from beyond the grave, this costume will scare the pants off unsuspecting trick-or-treaters.

How to do it: You’ll need lashings of bandages for this. Simply wrap yourself from head to toe – and make sure you leave enough space for you to see and breathe! If you don’t want to cover your face, just use white face paint. Also use face paint to create splotches of green and gray mold all over your costume.

Dark LordSpecters and ghouls of Halloween, beware. No one is a match for this powerful denizen of evil.

How to do it: Have Mom or Dad measure you from the floor, over your head and down to the floor again, then add 20cm (8 inches). You’ll need to triple that length in black organza to make your cape. Cut the organza into three equal lengths and lay them on top of each other.

To make the hood, a parent should measure you from one shoulder, over your head, and down to the other shoulder. Add 13cm (5 inches), then divide by two to get your hood measurement. On one long edge of the fabric, mark the center and take this hood measurement outward in a semicircle, pinning the arc with pins. Sew one meter of thin ribbon along this semicircle, threading through all three layers, then remove the pins and gather up the hood. Put the cloak on and Mom can trim the hem with scissors or even shred some layers to give you a more floaty look. Add face paint and carry a fake skull or scary balloon.

Sources for ingredients:Liangma Flower market for organza and ribbonPharmacies for bandages Markets for pajamas, hoodies and feather boasSupermarkets for rubber glovesJenny Lou’s or Tot to Teen for face paint and Halloween paraphernalia